3/5 overall: excellent chicken liver mousse, but service fell flat and left me questioning their…read moreclaim of being "welcoming to all."
It's currently unclaimed on Yelp (34 reviews, 3.6 stars before mine), so I'm unsure the owner will even see this. I'll also post this review on Google (76 reviews, 4.6 stars) for visibility.
After a few months of driving by and hearing good things from friends, I finally decided to have dinner here after a perfect Portland day at the Portland Book Festival in honor of James Baldwin's time in France.
I walked in around 6:30 p.m. without a reservation and was told the wait would be about 45 minutes. I didn't mind, and my table was ready after 35 minutes. I was seated at the end of the bar, two chairs away from the kitchen entrance to be exact.
Food - 3/5 overall
CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE ($14): 5/5
This was the highlight of my dinner: smooth, rich, and deeply flavorful, almost perfect like my grandma used to make. The portion was decent, though not large, and I wish they provided a bit more baguette on the side.
DUCK LEG CONFIT ($38): 3/5
Definitely on the pricey side, I had better. Described as corona bean, savoy cabbage, bacon, crème fraîche, apple, and au jus. The duck itself was nicely seasoned, but the au jus was bland, and there was no bacon as listed.
Service - 2/5
Now the painful truth, and the reason I'm sharing this review. During my 1 hour and 15 minutes at the bar, four different parties came and went on both sides of me. A staff member (either a manager or the owner) personally greeted, chatted, and engaged with every single one of them, except me. Not once did they make eye contact, nod, or even acknowledge my presence.
For context, I was seated right at the bar, elbow-close to the others. If you enjoy or are curious about dining solo, please note this atmosphere might not feel welcoming. As someone who often and confidently dines alone because I love the experience, I couldn't help but think about those who may be hesitant to try dining solo and how an experience like this could easily make them never want to give it a chance.
Their website states:
"We are a neighborhood bistro that strives to say 'yes' to as many people and experiences as possible, embracing the both/and in favor of the either/or. We are rooted in both the French culinary tradition and our deep connection to our local environment. We want to provide both world class excellence and a comfortable, welcoming environment to all our guests."
Unfortunately, my evening reflected the opposite of that beautiful mission. I truly hope they take this to heart and ensure that every guest, whether part of a group or dining solo, feels seen, welcomed, and included.
The staff who brought my food never returned to check on me after it was served. The bartender was the only one who interacted, once when noticing my plates were empty (offering to box them up or bring more baguette for an extra charge) and again when I asked for the check.
I paid cash and tipped 15% instead of my usual 20-25%, purely based on service.